Interview With The Queen City’s Own Real Estate Diva, Debe Maxwell

As a real estate writer interested in supplying our readers with the best of resources, I am very pleased to present Debe Maxwell, founder of The Maxwell House Group and partner of Savvy + Company Real Estate in Charlotte, NC.

Recently, Debe and I talked a little bit about her life, her business, and what she believes the future holds for Charlotte real estate.

RealtyBiz: Debe, did you live all of your life in Gulfport before moving to NC?

Debe: I wish! I moved all over as a child; my father was in the Air Force, then retail so, 9 different schools from K through 12!

RealtyBiz: Did you ever practice real estate in Gulfport?

Debe: No, I moved from there as a teen.

RealtyBiz: How long have you been practicing real estate?

Debe: Over 9 years – in April it will be 10 years.

RealtyBiz: What is unique about your company – what makes it different from other agents in the area?

Debe: My company is boutique–we are a very progressive company focused on customer service and marketing. Unlike other companies, we place the customers’ needs ahead of our own–I knowthat sounds canned but, when we receive prospect calls and internet leads, we have a point person (me) who does an extensive interview process based upon lifestyle needs and neighborhood preferences. Rather than place the client in a ’round-robin’ rotation, we partner them with the agent that best suits the CLIENTS’ needs. We are full-service, FULL-TIMERealtors® and are very active in the community as well.

RealtyBiz: Can you share a story about the most memorable sale you’ve brokered?

Debe: My former Broker-in-Charge asked me to list her $1M home for sale. We wound up doing alease-purchase for one year because her buyer was offering a considerable sum of money to‘hold’ the home until he could close the following year. He wound up not being able to close so,as we were preparing to put the home back on the market (refinishing the hardwood floors that had taken a beating by the tenant), I received a call from a customer who saw an old online adthat I had resumed since we were going back on the market. This customer wound up purchasing the home (cash, no less!) and it was a perfectly flawless transaction–and a sweetpaycheck too!

RealtyBiz: What is the strangest/funniest question a buyer and/or seller ever asked you?

Debe: Early in my career, I didn’t realize that you REALLY had to explain the purchase process to first-time home buyers! One of my first-timers asked me, AFTER the inspection and repair process, if we could place an Offer on another home. They were worried that the seller would realize thatthey had the best home in Charlotte and that they wouldn’t show up at Closing to actually sell my buyers the house!

RealtyBiz: Are you optimistic about real estate in Charlotte and across the country?

Debe: Charlotte, absolutely. As for the rest of the country, I can only go by what I hear from my referralpartners but, I do believe that most cities are on the recovery track.

RealtyBiz: What changes in the industry, if any, do you see taking place that will keep another real estate bubble from happening?

RealtyBiz: Are buyers and sellers in Charlotte apprehensive about the marketplace or confident that it will return?

Debe: We’re still seeing overly confident sellers and hesitant buyers at this point. I am, however,seeing buyers realize that the homes they view online that are in good condition and pricedright, are selling before they even have the opportunity to view the property. I see many sellersstill sitting on their prices, believing that they’ll be rescued in the spring market. On the other hand, many sellers are realistic and understand that the market is going to dictate their price–ifit doesn’t sell at X price, then they need to reduce until it sells–and they’re doing this.

RealtyBiz: Is there a lot of industry moving into the area?

Debe: YES! We’re strong in the financial and healthcare areas and we’re quickly moving into one ofthe most prevalent energy sectors in the nation. We’ve also landed the HQ of Chiquita, which is huge for us.

No matter your political affiliation, if you’re a Charlottean, you have to be excited about beingselected as THE city for the DNC in September as well!

RealtyBiz:What are the state and city governments doing to encourage businesses to move to the area?

Debe: Our governor has been a huge asset to our local economy over the past couple of years. Sheand our local government officials as well as the Chamber of Commerce,have beeninstrumental in bringing thousands of jobs to Charlotte. Tax incentives, local government support, the 7th largest airport in the world and a beautiful, vibrant city that offers residents 4-seasons are some of the bonuses these corporations are finding appealing about Charlotte.

RealtyBiz: Anything else you’d like to add about yourself or your business, the industry and/or Charlotte?

Debe: Residing here for decades and being a founding member of what is now Charlotte’s largesthome care facility, I can honestly say that I know nearly every nook and cranny of Charlotte! My boys attended both public and private schools in the area so, school knowledge andneighborhood knowledge are second nature to me. Helping clients find the perfectneighborhood is a passion for me! As well, I have a love for marketing and getting my sellers’listings exposed to the masses. I challenge the competition to do any aspect of listing a home better! My marketing team is second to none and truly do make me shine!

If you enjoyed getting to know Debe as much as I did, you will be pleased to learn that she will be a contributing writer here at RealtyBizNews. Be on the lookout for some fantastic, informative articles from her in the coming months!